Delegates from 22 European countries were invited by Edith Cresson, EU Commissioner responsible for research, innovation, training and youth, to put forward their views of EU youth programmes during a recent twoday conference in Brussels. Over 120 young people aged from 18 to 30 years had the opportunity to share experiences and offer suggestions on education, training and research.

"We wanted to listen to European young people and let them take part in preparing the next generation of Community programmes," said Cresson. Eight Irish representatives were among the young people from countries both in the EU and outside it. Jane Feehan from Co Offaly found the gathering "an amazing opportunity to meet other Europeans and exchange ideas. Even if we don't achieve much by way of proposals, we go away having made contact and that's the most important thing".

Maurice Whelan studied mechanical engineering at UL. Currently working at the Isis JRC in northern Italy, he thought it "a positive initiative to invite the opinions of the younger generation - we are the new Europe. However, planning for the next set of initiatives will be in its last stage so we can have only limited input.

"I'm a product of European mobility programmes - I took part in the Erasmus Scheme. Irish people are accustomed to going out there and finding the information. Young scientists have to take responsibility for themselves, for innovation and for the new emerging nations of Europe.

"There has been constant talk here of the lack of entrepreneurs with innovative ideas in Europe, yet Ireland is one of the few countries outside the United States with a graduate diploma in entrepreneurial studies - at UL."

Mobility of young people is one of the founding principles of the initiatives implemented by the Commission over the years in the area of education, training and research. The aim is to boost young Europeans' chances of gaining access to training and employment by encouraging them to help create the Europe of the next millennium. Some 300,000 people are involved in the projects annually.

The schemes are many and varied. Socrates covers second and higher education and facilitates the mobility of 170,000 students every year. Lingua promotes language projects in which over 80,000 take part and Leonardo supports vocational training and apprenticeships for over 50,000.

The new Youth For Europe specifically targets people from disadvantaged backgrounds. Also launched in pilot form in 1997, the European Voluntary Service will enable 2,500 young people to work in another European country next year.

Within the fourth Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development, a specific programme for the Training and Mobility of Researchers enables several thousand young people to pursue research and get grants such as the Marie Curie grant. The Joint Research Centre (JRC) brings together seven EU research institutes and hosts 150 grant recipients each year, most of whom are working on doctoral theses.

The fourth Framework comes to an end in December 1998 and the Socrates, Lingua and Leonardo programmes finish in 1999.

A principal concern raised with Commissioner Bresson during the conference was that Europe should be an equal society without economic and informational imbalances, a society without obstacles to mobility for young people. The young people recommended cutting down on bureaucracy, eliminating taxes on grants by certain countries and the establishment of a youth representative body.

Cresson promised to maintain the EU commitment to research. "We have a considerable lag to make up in respect of our competitors," she said. "Research must lead to innovation, which leads to the creation of jobs and the serving of all our citizens. She stressed that "if we don't make specific efforts in regard to technology we will be overtaken".

The Internet is recommended as the quickest way of getting information on EU grants and projects. CORDIS is the Community R&D Information Service at http:/www.cordis.lu/ or else the Europa site at http:/europa.eu.int/ is the EU's main Internet information service.